Game On

Potter’s Team Vs. Women’s Soccer

07.21.11

Game On

Potter’s Team Vs. Women’s Soccer

See photos of matchups between America’s top-ranked soccer women and the players on Harry’s Quidditch team.

07.21.11 4:44 AM ET

Warner Bros. / AP Photo

The U.S women’s soccer team may have lost to Japan in the World Cup finals, but how would they match up against the boy wizard’s Quidditch squad? From Heather Mitts vs. Cedric Diggory to Kelley O’Hara vs. Victor Krum, see photos.

Warner Bros. / AP Photo

1. Cedric Diggory vs. Heather Mitts

Before Robert Pattinson melted little girls’ hearts as Edward Cullen in the Twilight films, he starred in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cedric Diggory, the handsome Seeker on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team who makes all the girls at Hogwarts swoon. After the Goblet of Fire chooses Harry for the Triwizard Tournament—despite the fact that he’s underage—Cedric, the tournament favorite, is the only one student at Hogwarts who stays in Harry’s corner. Unfortunately, Cedric is killed at the end of the film by Lord Voldemort’s Boy Friday, Peter Pettigrew. Heather Mitts, a defender on the U.S. Women’s team, matches Diggory’s skills and good looks. Mitts has long been considered one of the team’s best defenders, and this year she finally got to show off her moves in her first World Cup. She knows how to work it off the field, too. ESPN.com named her “Sexiest Female Athlete” in 2004, and a year later she appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She scored big last year when she married her on-again, off-again boyfriend, NFL quarterback A.J. Feeley. Cedric, meanwhile, dated Harry’s (brief) future squeeze, Cho Chang.

Warner Bros. / AP Photo

2. Harry Potter vs. Alex Morgan

Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, was the youngest Seeker at Hogwarts in more than a century, and even eclipsed his father, James’s, legendary skills on the Quidditch pitch for Gryffindor. He eventually became the captain. In his first match he came off the bench and caught the Golden Snitch—in his mouth. The boy wonder also grabbed the Snitch in the Quidditch final in his third year, to win the Quidditch Cup. Alex, on the other hand, is the U.S.A.'s youngest—and arguably most attractive—player at 22, and has a knack for coming off the bench and making a statement. The fast and furious forward scored seven times in her first 16 caps. She scored her first World Cup goal in the 82nd minute of the semi-final match against France, securing the U.S.'s 3-1 victory and their appearance in the final. In that final against Japan, Alex scored the U.S.A.’s first goal off a beautiful left-footed shot to the corner of the net. Like Harry, she might one day be captain.

Warner Bros, Everett Collection / Hope Solo

3. Ron Weasley vs. Hope Solo

Having idolized Victor Krum, a star of the Quidditch World Cup, Ron (Rupert Grint) gets his big moment when he joins Gryffindor’s Quidditch team as Keeper in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He’s not exactly a natural, though, and his nerves often get the better of him on the pitch. Thankfully, Harry tricks Ron into thinking he gave him his magical luck potion, granting him the confidence to make many spectacular saves and become the star of the team. His dazzling performance catches the eye of Lavender Brown, and the two become involved romantically—much to Hermione’s (Emma Watson) chagrin. Hope Solo, however, the “loudmouth” goalkeeper on the U.S. Women’s soccer team, exudes confidence on and off the field. Solo suddenly garnered male attention when she went from being a blond to a brunette, and became the subject of controversy when she criticized her coach for benching her during a semifinal match against Brazil during the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

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4. Ginevra “Ginny” Weasley vs. Amy Rodriguez

Ron’s sister, Ginny, played by Bonnie Wright, might not be as flashy a Seeker as her future lover Harry, but she's experienced and versatile. She can play Chaser or Seeker, and later went pro with the Holyhead Harpies. She even became senior Quidditch correspondent for The Daily Prophet. In her second game, she captured the Golden Snitch to win the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor. She's particularly known as a good scorer. Amy had played in tons of national youth teams before landing a spot on the 2008 Summer Olympics team, providing the assist for the game-winning goal in the gold medal match. In short, she's fast, seasoned and a genuine double-threat. Like Ginny, who took over for Harry at Seeker, an injury to star Abby Wambach propelled Amy Rodriguez to U.S. Women’s National Team during the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also holds a sponsorship deal with Puma, and was the first overall selection in the 2009 Women’s Professional Soccer Draft.

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5. Draco Malfoy vs. Tobin Heath

His father may have bribed his son’s way onto the Slytherin team by buying everyone Nimbus 2001s (an expensive, fast broomstick), but Draco (Tom Felton) proved to be a fine Quidditch player. The future Death Eater began flying at an early age, earning him the coveted position of a Slytherin Seeker in his second year. His hatred of Harry proved to be his greatest weakness during the match against Gryffindor, when he failed to notice the Golden Snitch flying beside his ear, while he was busy insulting Harry. Team captain Marcus Flint blamed him for the loss. Tobin Heath is another young talent, making her way onto the Woman’s National Team before her 20th birthday. Tobin is also a veteran of the U.S. U-16, U-17, and U-20 National Teams. Known for her sheer love of the game, Tobin has recently returned to the field after a 18-month hiatus due to an undiagnosable illness. Death Eaters, perhaps? Like Malfoy, Tobin stumbled during the U.S.A.’s 2011 FIFA World Cup loss to Japan, missing a crucial penalty kick.

Warner Bros. / Getty Images

6. Viktor Krum vs. Kelley O’Hara

"There's no one like Krum! He's like a bird the way he rides the wind! He's more than an athlete... he's an artist” exclaimed Ron Weasley. The Bulgarian wizard dominated the professional Quidditch world after being selected to his country’s national team at 18. Although the Irish won the Quidditch World Cup title, Viktor, played in the films by Stanislav Ianevski, stole the show by catching the Golden Snitch. Later that year, he was chosen to represent his school, the Durmstrang Institute, at the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwart’s—which he subsequently lost to Harry. His brooding good looks and popularity, however, lands Hermione on his arm at the Yule Ball, frustrating Ron. Kelly O’Hara may have just joined the team last minute, after midfielder Lindsay Tarpley tore a ligament in her knee, but head coach Pia Sundhage seems pleased with the replacement. “She is a player who can take people on and hit good crosses, which will be important at the World Cup,” she told ussoccer.com. Fresh out of school, the 22-year-old won the 2009 Hermann Trophy as college soccer’s top player following her senior season at Stanford University.

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7. Cormac McLaggen vs. Ali Krieger

Although he missed the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts his sixth year after eating poisonous Doxy eggs on a dare, the dashing Cormac McLaggen, played by Freddie Stroma made the team as reserve Keeper in his seventh year. His bossy attitude proved to be disastrous for the Gryffindor team, when his need to advise Harry on game tactics and control the other players culminated in a major, embarrassing loss against Hufflepuff. While demonstrating how to properly beat a Bludger for Jimmy Peakes, he knocked Harry off his broomstick, causing the captain to crack his skull. However, he did manage to take Hermione to the school Christmas ball, until the two had a falling out over his derogatory comments about Ron and Ginny. Ali Krieger’s soccer career is film-worthy. At 20 years old, she suffered life-threatening complications from clots in her lungs that triggered six mini heart attacks, but luckily he recovered enough to make the U-23 National Team. She later joined the FFC Frankfurt of the German Women’s Bundesliga as a defender; she stayed there for four years and learned to speak fluent German. This year, she joined the Women’s World Cup Team for the first time, returning to her adopted home country in a U.S.A. jersey. Unfortunately, a mishandled ball in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup led to Japan’s equalizer, which tied the match at 1-1 in the 81st minute.

Warner Bros. / AP Photo

8. Oliver Wood vs. Becky Sauerbrunn

A revered Gryffindor Keeper and Captain, Oliver Wood, played in the films by Sean Biggerstaff (yes, real name), led his team to a long-sought Quidditch Cup victory in his final year. Oliver always knew how to rally his team, pumping them up with pep talks before each practice. After graduating, the Keeper joined Puddlemere United as a reserve player. Becky Sauerbrunn got a last-minute invite to the U.S. World Cup training camp last year when an injury opened up a spot, but the Defender has proved herself to be a worthy addition to the team. “I think [she] is a very good example of how it takes not only a second chance, but a third chance,” says head coach Pia Sundhage. “If you really love soccer, you get a chance, and if you’re skillful you get a chance to be called up to the national team.”